


More than the Ocean

by spotifyfreetrial



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Bitty is a witch but it's not that important, Derek "Nursey" Nurse is Unchill, Found Family, M/M, Oblivious Dex, Pining, Royalty, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-18 02:49:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16986729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spotifyfreetrial/pseuds/spotifyfreetrial
Summary: Dex thought he understood humans. He had been living with them for some time, and even though he could breathe underwater and was twelfth in line to become king of the sea, he thought he had a decent enough grasp on human culture to be prepared for Samwell.But nothing could have prepared him for Derek Nurse.OrDex is a mermaid prince au





	More than the Ocean

Will is ten years old the first winter he spends with his mom. He hasn’t seen her in a few years, what with him being part fish and her being zero parts fish. When his royal bodyguard drops him off on the shore of a small town in Maine, the first thing she does is hug him. “I missed you so much.” “‘I missed you too,” Will says softly. He hugs her back, but it doesn’t feel right because he’s grown quite a bit. As they drive off and his mom fills him in on what he’s missed and asks him about his life, Will can’t help himself from longing to be back at sea. 

She shows him his room and tells him she kept it exactly the same. Will appreciates the effort, but he hasn’t played with these kinds of toys since he was five. 

He doesn’t quite get the whole “Christmas” thing yet. People keep telling him to “get into the spirit”, but he was under the impression spirits were ghosts, so Will is thoroughly confused. He can’t ask humans about things like this, because they don’t know he’s not like them. Will mostly keeps quiet and spends a lot of his time observing people, which apparently means he’s “shy.”

His mom has a boyfriend. His name is Steve. Steve wasn’t here the last time Will visited. It’s foolish to wish for his mom and dad to be together, Will knows this, but it doesn’t stop him from wanting. His mom is a human and his dad is the king of the ocean. 

Steve works at Staples. 

He spends most his time with his Uncle Ron and his cousins Penelope and Taylor. It’s awkward. They haven’t seen him in five years. And they recently found out he’s a mermaid. 

They had thought his dad was a trucker. In one of the few memories he had of land, his uncle referred to his dad as a “no good piece of shit.” It was a human expression and while Will didn’t understand the meaning at the time, he understood the tone. 

Will is twelfth in line for the throne. He’s the youngest and he has eleven older brothers. None of them have the same mother. 

And while Will is technically royalty, it doesn’t mean much. He has mermaid body guards who will occasionally escort him between his mom’s place and his dad’s kingdom, and a fancy tiara he wears during formal events, but that’s it. He won’t be given any special responsibilities, and he certainly won’t be inheriting anything. That’s not the way mermaid law works. 

To be fair, his ten other brothers won’t get anything either. According to mermaid royal law, the crown, the ocean, and everything else goes to the oldest child. His father was the oldest of nineteen children, and his grandmother was the oldest of eight children, and so on. He understands the law and why the ocean isn’t meant to be divided. But he’s sometimes he gets angry. Not at his oldest brother, Danny, who will inherit everything. Not at anyone in particular. The world, maybe.

Once he turns eighteen, he’ll have to take care of himself. He’ll say goodbye to his mom for good. He loves her deeply in a way that’s hard to express, but he can’t imagine living on land for more than a couple months. 

That changes one day in January. He’s never spent winter in Maine, and the ocean is far better than any lake, so he’s never had reason to go to a lake in Maine in winter before. His cousin Penelope takes him ice skating and Will falls in love. At first the skates are awkward and a size too small, but he gets used to it. They’re borrowed, so they don’t fit his feet quite right, but Will doesn’t mind. Will skates around for hours, until they have to go home. The next day Penelope rounds up some friends with Will and they play a game called hockey. 

After that first winter, Will spends every single one of his winters in Maine. 

Back in the ocean, his brothers Danny, Paul, Mason, Jackson, Chris, Sterling, Matty, Kane, Vic, Reed, and Jacob don’t understand it.

“Why the shit would you want to be on land during the winter?”

“Yeah crap man, what the crap?” 

“It’s freezing shits up there, Will.”

They think the only good thing to come from Will’s time on land is his ability to teach them human curse words. He’s not sure they understand how to use them. Will tries explaining the wonder of hockey to them, but they don’t understand that so great either.

 

When he’s fifteen, his uncle says to him at dinner, “You know, with talent like yours I bet you could play hockey for a fancy D1 school. Could probably get a scholarship too.”

Will drops his fork. 

“College?”

“Yeah. A lot of east coast colleges have great hockey teams.”

“I never thought about college.”

The word is strange on his lips. 

“I know neither me or your mom got around to going to school, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to. It’s early, but Penny’s already talked to some of her teachers about which schools have good engineering programs. You don’t have to know what you want to do, but you could look into it.”

Uncle Ron goes back to eating his dinner and talking about trouble finding someone willing to spend their summer on a lobster boat, and Will is too lost in thought to finish eating. He’d never considered college. The idea of playing hockey for more than a handful of weeks a year sounds too good to be true. He asks his mom about it later. He finds her in the laundry room.

“Mom, do you think I could go to college?”

She looks at him, surprised. He continues, “Uncle Ron said I might be good enough at hockey to play for a school. What do you reckon?”

His mother sets down the linens. 

“Will,” she starts, and Will recognizes that tone, “College is a great idea. I’m really glad you want to spend more time on land. But I don’t know if we have the money for it. And you’d have so much to catch up on. It’d be a lot of work. You’ve never gone to real school. You haven’t taken the SAT. Colleges only accept people with high school diplomas.”

“Oh.”

“I’m sorry, Will. You really are great at hockey. Maybe we could afford it if you got a full scholarship, but…”

“It’s okay, Mom. I get it.” 

He leaves a note to his mom on his way out.

It’s early November and he takes a bus to the beach, walks to the short cliff, takes off his clothes, and dives into the water with grace. When he approaches the castle, twenty hand selected bodyguards surround him. 

“Stop! Name yourself!”

“I am William Pontruvious IV twelfth son of Andrew Pontruvious II Great King of the Heavenly Waters,” the title rolls of his tongue with ease. At once, all twenty men and women bow before him. 

“I accept your allegiance and eternally loyalty to the throne,” He says. Only once the official words are said are his countrymen allowed to stop bowing. It’s an embarrassing tradition and Will hates it. “I’m here to see the king.”

One of the bodyguards nods, “I will escort you to him, your majesty.”

They are nearing the royal chambers when when someone shouts his name. He turns to see his three eldest brothers. 

“Will,” Danny punches him in the shoulder, “what the fuck is up bro?”

“You’re back early!” Vic hugs him, “Are you finally sick of land?”

“I’m just here to see Dad.” 

“In there,” Paul nudges his head that way. Will swims to where his father is seated on the throne.

“Will? I wasn’t expecting you. Has something happened?”

“I want to go to human college on land,” he says directly. His father raises his eyebrows.

“Well, I can’t say this comes as a surprise. You’ve been spending more and more time on land,” his dad sighs, “I suppose it’s fair. You want to learn about your heritage. We should have seen this coming.”

“So you approve?”

“I wouldn’t say that, son. You know I’d rather you stay down here. If it’s learning you want to do, we could always use explorers to study the undiscovered depths.”

“I want to go to school on land,” He shakes his head, “Are you going to stop me?”

“I’m not going to make you do anything.”

“Can you help me pay for it? It’s expensive, from what Mom tells me. I’ve never asked you for anything before, but this is important.”

His father sighs. 

“I’m sorry Will, you know I’m forbidden from gifting you anything. I can’t break the law. Even for you. And besides, even if I could, all the wealth we have is mermaid wealth. We don’t have any human currency.”

“Ok. I understand,” He looks at his dad, “I should head back now.”

“Will,” he turns around. His dad looks at him sadly, “I take it you’ll be spending more time on land from now on?”

Will nodds, and leaves. 

He understands his situation, but that doesn’t mean he’s giving in. 

“I can help you on your lobster boat if you’ll pay me,” is the first thing he says to his uncle when he returns, “I know you usually hire someone older, but I’m tall for my age and I’m a fast learner and I don’t get seasick.”

His uncle laughs. “Alright, Will. If I knew you were so eager to spend ten weeks on a boat that smells like seafood, I would have gone to you directly.”

That year he spends all four seasons on land. He enrolls in a local high school, the one Penelope goes to, and works his ass off just trying to catch up. He gives himself the last name Poindexter, his mom’s last name, because he can’t exactly write Prince William Pontruvious IV twelfth son of Andrew Pontruvious II Great King of the Heavenly Waters on the form. He has to make up explanations to his teachers for why he didn’t know what a number two pencil was and why he though George Washington was a country musician. Any second that Will isn’t studying he’s on the ice. He enrolled in school a few months late, and literally just in time to try out for the the school hockey team. To be honest, his teammates are pretty terrible hockey players. But they’re great guys, and Will is actually having fun when he’s not stressed out about school and college and the future. 

He finishes his first year at school with all Cs and spends the entire summer on his uncle’s boat. Will uses every penny he earned to pay for decent hockey gear and a laptop so he can stop going to the library when he needs to use the internet. He still has a flip phone, but maybe next year he can buy an android. 

By the time next year rolls around, he’s getting all A’s, he’s captain of the hockey team, and they take first place at state for the first time in twelve years. Will’s feels like his luck is turning. His coach gives his number to a recruiter. She tells him all about the school and their hockey team, but she can only offer him a partial scholarship. Will turns the offer down. 

“There will be others, trust me kiddo,” Uncle Ron tells him.

And there are others. Lots of others. Some smalls schools, some big schools. And then there’s Samwell. 

On the tour, there’s an energetic player who literally made gift bags for everyone. Will thinks he might be a witch, but he’s not sure. He’ll have to investigate further. There’s also an incredibly annoying and incredibly attractive guy named Derek on the tour. Will’s not dumb, he knows that like lacrosse and golf and other sports, hockey is largely a private school sport. So it’s natural that most of the guys on the Samwell Men’s Hockey team came from private school. And it’s not that Will thinks kids who go to private school don’t work hard, he just thinks they don’t understand what’s it’s like to have to work forty hours a week to pay for their own hockey gear. 

He loves Samwell, but it is a private school. Maybe he’s better off going to a state school. 

“Liking Samwell so far?” 

Will jumps a little. It’s the short blond guy who may or may not be a witch.

“Yeah? Or, I don’t know?”

“What aren’t you sure about?”

“Uh, I guess the environment? Or the people?” 

“What are you trying to say?” The guy ask hesitantly. His name is Bitty, Will suddenly remembers. 

“I mean, if I go here I’ll be on a full scholarship because there’s no way I could afford Samwell otherwise, and I don’t know if I’ll fit in with people who could afford Samwell two or three times over,” Will clarifies.

Bitty’s puzzled expression turns into relief. 

“I don’t think you have to worry about that at Samwell. I’m also here on an athletic scholarship. I came close to losing it, but Jack practiced with me every day until I got better. At Samwell, we’re more than just a team. We’re a family.”

Will nods. The words strike a chord with him and the uncertainty in his chest from earlier is gone.

 

 

In his first week at Samwell, Will is dubbed Dex. That’s new. What’s also new? His hockey game is the worst it has ever been in his whole life.

It had a lot to do with one Derek Malik Nurse. 

Dex thought he understood humans. He had been living with them for some time, and even though he could breathe underwater and was twelfth in line to become king of the sea, he thought he had a decent enough grasp on human culture to be prepared for Samwell. 

But nothing could have prepared him for Derek Nurse. 

Nursey is the most frustrating person Dex has met. He’s every negative stereotype Dex has ever heard about private school kids. He’s rich, he’s entitled, he’s good looking, and he expects everything to go his way. He already new Shitty from Andover, because of course he went to fucking Andover, and because of that he’s already close with most of the guys on the team. He’s been to more countries than Dex currently has dollars in his bank account. 

On the second day right after practice Nursey tripped on air and shattered his iphone. He had bought it less than four months ago, before the latest one had come out. And upon completely shattering it the first thing he said was, “Chill. I’ll just get the new model.”

And the very next day he showed up to practice with a brand new iphone. Dex was judging him on seventeen different levels. 

The worst, absolute fucking worst thing about Nursey is that even when he doesn’t try he’s better at hockey than Dex. 

He glides on the ice the way Dex can swim through water. Dex is more jealous of Nursey’s perfect ability to play hockey without ever trying than anything else about the guy. 

Because Hockey is Dex’s thing. Yes, he’s on a D1 hockey team now so hockey is all his teammates’ thing, but. Hockey is Dex’s second greatest connection to the human world after his mom, so he expected himself to play better than Mr. Everything-is-Chill-All-The-Time. 

Dex’s hockey game is all over the place. Sometimes it seems he and Nursey are clicking on the ice, and then Nursey will say something and Dex will correct him and then suddenly they’re shouting. 

At the end of the week Coach Hall pulls them aside.

“You two better get your shit straightened out before the season starts. I don’t want to have to talk to you again, understand?”

“Yes sir,” Dex replies seriously.

“Chill,” is what Nursey says. Dex presses his mouth shut to keep himself from snapping in front of their coach.

In the locker room, after all the other guys have left, Dex prepares himself to have a talk with Nursey.

“Hey man, let’s sort our shit out right here.”

Nursey snorts, “Hey man, dude, bro,” he replies mockingly, “let’s have a talk about our issues. In a manly, no homo way.” 

Dex sighs. He knew this wasn’t going to be easy. 

“Look, I really need to be on this team for the scholarship. So can you put a little fucking effort into this?”

“There’s the problem: you automatically assume I don’t put any effort into shit.”

“That’s not what I’m saying!”

“That’s exactly what you’re saying!”

“Well maybe, if you met me halfway we wouldn’t be in this situation!”

“What situation? You make a huge deal out of everything!”

“And you blow off everything like nothing matters!”

“Fuck you Poindexter,” and he and Dex have fought before, but it’s never been like this, “I try so fucking hard all the time. I worked my ass of to get into this school just like you, but I don’t make a big deal about it. I don’t make big deals out of things because I don’t want other people to worry or feel like it’s their responsibility. I’m not an attention seeking asshole like you!”

Nursey won’t look at him. He thinks Nursey isn’t looking at him because he’s crying. For a few moments, Dex is speechless. 

“I’m sorry, Nursey,” he finally says, “I guess I brought a lot of stereotypes about private school kids to Samwell and pushed them on you, when that’s not who you are.”

Nursey sniffles. Dex is grasping for words. Anything to stop Nursey from crying. 

“I don’t know know you that well, but does this have something to do with more than me or this team?”

Nursey bites his lip, then nods. Dex remembers the only other time he saw Nursey slightly unchil. It was family weekend. His mom and Uncle Ron and his cousins and even Steve came. He doesn’t remember seeing anyone with Nursey. 

“Is it...family stuff?”

He nods again.

“Your parents don’t treat your accomplishments like a big deal, do they?”

“It’s not that my moms don’t love me,” his voice in strained, “they have a lot on their plate. And they’re so accomplished they automatically expect succeed. And when I do everything I possibly can to make them proud, they treat it like it’s easy.”

“I’m sorry, Derek,” Dex says sincerely, “I didn’t realize. But that’s not an excuse for the way I’ve been treating you. You don’t deserve that. The truth is you’re an amazing hockey player and I was more than a little jealous. But we’re teammates. So that means we’re family, yeah?”

The next thing he knows Nursey is hugging him. 

“Thanks, Poindexter. I’m sorry too. I’ll try to piss you off less,” His voice comes out as muffled in Dex’s shoulder. After a few moments of utter confusion, Dex belatedly hugs him back. 

“So we’re good?”

“Yeah, we’re good.”

And for the most part, they are. It helps that they’re both best friends with Chowder, so they spend a lot more time together than Dex originally thought they would. He doesn’t mind it. The still fight occasionally of course, and one time Bitty had to mediate, but most of the time they’re, as Nursey would say, chill. 

That doesn’t mean he understands Nursey.

Sometimes, the hottest girl or guy will flirt with Nursey, and Nursey will flirt back until they give him their number, and then Nursey will never call them. Dex is confused, and a bit envious of the effect Nursey has on people. 

When they come across groups of high school students touring Samwell, some of them ask Nursey to sign their Samwell Catalogue, because of course Nursey was on the front page of the Samwell Catalogue as a freshman. 

Nursey was hot. Like damn with two syllables hot, and it was like he didn’t care. Or at the very least, he didn’t use his hotness to his full potential. Dex didn’t get him. 

“Why do you think Nursey doesn’t date people?” He asks Chowder one day.

They’re chilling in Chowder’s room until Nursey gets back from English 20C. Chowder is lying on the ground with his shark-shaped pillow. Dex privately finds Chowder’s love of sharks amusing to no end. It’s a shame they haven’t gone to the ocean together, because Dex could probably summon a sharknado’s worth ton of sharks and Chowder would freak out. 

“I dunno. Maybe he doesn’t want to?”

“But he’s really hot?” It slips out accidentally, “Don’t tell him I said that.”

Chowder giggles, “Okay.”

“Shut up. You think he’s hot too right?”

“Yes. He’s hot.” Chowder looks at him like he knows something Dex doesn’t. 

“If I were as hot as Nursey I’d…” I’d date Nursey. 

Woah. There’s a thought he didn’t expect to think. 

“You’d what?”

“I would...date someone hot. Really hot.” Like Nursey, his brain provides. Not! Helping! He internally shouts back. 

“You could date someone hot now!”

Dex looks at him. 

“I mean it!!! You’re attractive!! You’re a student athlete!! You are hot shit!!!!”

“Who’s hot shit?” Nursey asks as he enters the room. 

“Dex! I’m telling him that he’s hot because he is and he won’t believe me! Nursey tell him the truth!”

Nursey looks at him, and Dex can feel his ears burning. He wants to look away but he can’t. 

“Yeah,” he says, in a very very chill way, “Dex is hot.”

Dex’s face is red for the rest of the night. 

 

 

Even though he’s half human, the prospect of a pool party is still terrifying to him. Unlike other mermaids, Dex can stay on land for as long as he wants without the need to return to the sea. But like all mermaids when going into a body of water, from a kiddy pool to an ocean, he will literally grow a five foot long scaly tail once submerged. 

So it’s fitting that to celebrate the end of the school year, the Samwell Men’s Hockey Team would throw a pool party. They don’t even have a pool. But Ransom and Holster have connections with the Men’s Water Polo Team, so they have access to the team’s olympic sized swimming pool. Nursey and Chowder are excited. Dex is not. 

Dex has already thought about the worst thing that could happen. He’ll be walking and minding his own business when someone, probably Ransom or Holster, will think it’s funny to push Dex into the pool. And then his tail will grow and everyone will be freaked out and he’ll have to run away and never return to Samwell ever again. 

He seriously considers not going, but everyone on the team is going and it will be more suspicious if he doesn’t go. 

He ends up spending most of the time glued to his pool chair. Chowder and Nursey tease him for needing to put on five layers of sunscreen, and all his friends are here, and he’s almost enjoying himself. 

“What’s a matter Dex, not getting in?” Nursey grins at him.

“Nope.”

“Dex!!! It’ll be so much fun! We can pretend to be sharks!! We can race!!” Chowder smiles at him. 

Nursey grabs his arm and attempts to pull him up. If Nursey thought it was gonna be that easy he has another thing coming, because Dex’s ass is staying on this chair no matter what. 

“For real, guys,” Dex says, and one white lie won’t hurt that much, “I almost drowned when I was a kid, so I don’t like the water anymore. It’s not a big deal.”

“Oh no!! I’m sorry Dex!! Don’t feel pressured to come in!!”

“It’s fine, Chowder,” He laughs.

“Do you want me and Chowder to stay with you?” Nursey asks him. Dex raises his eyebrows at the offer.

“I think Chowder really wants to go swimming. It’s fine guys, really.”

“I can stay here, then,” Nursey says like it’s nothing, “I don’t mind hanging out with my d-man.” 

“You don’t have to.”

“I want to.” 

“It’s not a big deal,” Dex replies, looking into Nursey’s eyes. He really doesn’t want his condition to stop Nursey and Chowder from having fun. After what seems like forever, Nursey breaks eye contact and puts on a smile. 

“All chill. Suit yourself,” Nursey shrugs. He and Chowder go into the water to play pool volleyball with the boys, and Dex finds himself with an entirely new problem. 

Dex had spent all his time worried about getting wet, when really he should have been worried about more important things. Because what Dex was absolutely not prepared for was Derek Nurse. Shirtless. 

Of course he’s vaguely seen Nursey shirtless before. Hell, he’s seen him naked before. But that was in the locker room, where it’s common courtesy not to look and everyone is gross and sweaty. Right now, Nursey is shirtless and playing pool volleyball like something out an eighties homoerotic movie montage. Dex thought Nursey was hot at the beginning of the year, but Nursey now, after a year of hockey practice and pre-game workouts, is on a whole new level of hot. Dex feels voyeuristic. He should probably look away. 

Because yes, Nursey is attractive. Dex established that the moment he laid eyes on him. What’s new is the twisting feeling in his stomach telling him to never look away from Nursey ever again. 

And then, after hitting a killer serve, Nursey looks over at Dex and gives him the brightest smile, and Dex is gone. Any chance of not developing a desperate crush on the unattainable Derek Nurse is shattered the moment Nursey smiles at him. 

When Nursey hugs him goodbye until the fall, Dex remembers the feel of his body pressed to Nursey for days after it happened. 

Dex is absolutely fucked.

 

 

The summer is like any other summer. He spends most of his time on his uncle’s boat. When he’s home, he picks up shifts at the local repair shop. He thinks if he can earn enough, he’ll have money to spend on fun things this year and won’t have to say no when his friends ask him to do things. 

He gets his first boyfriend. Dex had never been kissed before then. It’s a short fling with a guy named Miller who works at the shop. It ends when they each have to go back to college, and they both agree they’re not looking for anything serious. 

When he gets back on campus, he doesn’t start unpacking first. No, the very first thing he does is go to the Haus. Like magic, Bitty is there a dozen pies fresh out of the oven. 

“Dex!” Bitty hugs him with his oven mitts still on. 

“It’s good to see you, Bitty. Are we the first one’s back?” 

“Ransom’s here too, but he’s talking to the Coaches about the season. Everyone else should arrive pretty soon though.”

“Pie ready?”

“Yup. You have perfect timing.” Bitty cuts Dex a slice and hands it to him. Like everything baking related Bitty does, it looks like it came off the page of a cooking catalogue. Dex never confronted him about his suspicions, but since the Haus is empty now seems as good a time as any. 

“Bitty, are you a witch?” He asks casually, as if he were asking Bitty to tell him the time. 

Bitty jumps.

“William Poindexter! You almost made me drop my pie!” 

“Are you?” He says it again. Bitty doesn’t answer. “Because I’m a mermaid.”

Bitty looks at him. 

“Dex. Are you messing with me?”

“Nope.”

Bitty sighs, and it almost looks like there’s a weight falling from his shoulders.

“Does anyone else know?” Dex asks him. 

“Jack does,” He looks at Dex like he’s said too much, but Dex doesn’t pester him, “Does anyone know about you?”

“Only you.”

“Coming from Georgia, I don’t know many mermaids,” Bitty says, “You know what this means? You’ll have to spend more time helping me in the kitchen. I’ll show you some of my tricks.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Whatever Bitty was about to say next is interrupted by the loud arrival of Derek Nurse. 

“Heyyyo! Anybody home? Bitty? I smell pie!”

Nursey steps into the kitchen and Dex feels every muscle in his body tense up. Because despite the distance, despite the time, despite two months dating someone else and trying to get over Nursey, his stupid crush hasn’t gone away. If anything it’s more intense, seeing Nursey right here in front of him for the first time in months. 

“Dexy!” Nursey wraps him into a bear hug and nearly lifts him off the ground before Dex has time to react, “I missed you man.”

“Ha. You too Nursey,” He tries to say it in a way that doesn’t make his stomach flip. 

“And Bitty!” Nursey hugs Bitty next, and this time he actually does lift him.

“Nursey! I’m older than you!” Bitty protests. Nursey laughs but puts him down. 

“Missed you too, Bitty. And your baking!” He helps himself to some pie, “So what were you guys talking about before I got here?”

Dex and Bitty look at each other. Bitty smiles, “You know, summer, hockey, the usual stuff.”

“Yup,” Dex nods, “The usual stuff.”

 

 

 

Having never experienced a childhood on land, there are some things bound to slip through the cracks. It’s inevitable. 

“Dex, when did you stop believing in Santa Claus?” Nursey asks him out of the blue. He and Chowder look at him as if they’re expecting something from him. Dex panics. He vaguely knows who Santa Claus is. He’s the fat Christmas man. Dex’s not sure which part of the Bible he’s from. 

“What do you mean?”

“Chowder and I are having a serious academic discussion on when the average person stops believing in Santa Claus. You’re the deciding opinion,” Nursey responds impatiently. 

“Uh,” Dex’s mind goes blank. He grasps for churchy Christian words, “I guess when the Pope told me.”

Nursey and Chowder exchange looks. Dex swallows.

“Dex, man,” Nursey says, and that’s probably one of the few times Nursey has called him that, “what the literal actual fuck are you talking about?”

“You know? The Pope. The guy incharge of the church.”

“When has the Pope ever told anyone to stop believing in Santa Claus?”

“I mean,” Dex backtracks, “My Pope. The Pope at my church. In Maine. Where I’m from.”

“Um, Dex?” Chowder looks really worried, “There’s only one Pope? And he lives in Rome?”

Dex should have realized he fucked up at least sixty seconds ago. There is no rational explanation he can tell them to get himself out of this situation, so he waits for Nursey or Chowder to say something. However, they both look like they’re still expecting an explanation from him. 

Finally it’s Chowder who breaks the silence, “Dex? Are you feeling okay?”

“Yeah man, did you get a concussion at the Yale game or something?”

“Uh…” is the only thing Dex can say for a while, “I think I’m just sleep deprived guys. Can’t function at all. I should probably take a nap. Bye.” 

He awkwardly walks away. After a minute he sneaks a glance back, only to find that they’re still looking at him with faces of confusion. Dex keeps his head down the rest of the walk to his dorm. 

In the privacy of his room, Dex looks up Santa Claus and the Pope. A quick google search tells him he’s an idiot and all he had to do was say a random age between three and ten. He groans into his pillow and doesn’t leave his room for twenty four hours. 

 

 

A few days into Spring semester, Dex is walking with Chowder and Nursey to Annie’s when a guy, a freshmen from the look of it, takes one look at them and drops his binder. Papers fly everywhere. He doesn’t seem to care. 

“Nursey I think it’s one of your groupies,” Dex snickers. Nursey elbows him in the side. 

“Um?? Are you okay?” Chowder asks him when they get closer. The guy has a thin frame and an anxious face. He looks at Dex then Chowder then back at Dex. 

“Oh my Neptune, it’s really you!” He shouts excitedly while staring directly at Dex. As soon as he says that, Dex knows where this is heading and there’s nothing he can do to stop it, “I knew you went to college on land but I didn’t know it was Samwell!”

“You know Dex?” Nursey asks with a bemused expression. 

“Prince William Pontruvious IV twelfth son of Andrew Pontruvious II Great King of the Heavenly Waters, I’m honored to meet you. As a halfie myself, I always looked up to you instead of your brothers.” 

“Hey can we maybe not do this here,” Dex tries to interrupt him. It’s useless. 

“Oh! Where are my manners! Please forgive me!” And then he drops to the ground and starts kneeling at Dex’s feet. Dex couldn’t be more embarrassed if he tried. 

“No no no no, get up,” Dex grabs his shoulders and tries to lift him. He says the next words very quickly as if that would stop his friends from hearing them, “I accept your allegiance and eternally loyalty to the throne now please get up right now.”

“If it’s not too much to ask can I get an autograph? I’d take a selfie but it’s not like anyone back home could see it.”

Dex pulls him to the side just out of earshot of Nursey and Chowder. 

“Look, what’s your name?”

“Cole,” he breathes out.

“Okay, Cole,” Cole squeals when Dex says his name. Dex ignores it, “I don’t want to be rude but I’m trying to keep a low profile. No one at Samwell knows what I am or who I am, not even my friends.”  
“Oh no! I’ve totally blown your cover!” Cole looks absolutely august and Dex doesn’t have it in him to be irritated with him. 

“No, no it’s fine. Just don’t freak out and bow when you see me on campus,” He plucks the phone from Cole’s hands and puts his number in, “I can’t talk to right now so here’s my number. Text me if you ever want to talk. Gotta go.”

Cole stares at the phone so hard Dex thinks he might spontaneously combust. Dex feels his phone vibrate with a shit ton of notifications. He checks it, and sees that everything that transpired has been documented by Chowder and Nursey and sent to the SMH group chat. 

“So Dex how are you gonna explain that one?” Nursey smirks. 

“What the hell Dex are you secretly royalty from some small European country!! Is this real life Princess Diaries!!” Chowder looks betrayed. 

“It’s for the engineering frat. They make all the pledges act like the members are famous when they seem them,” Dex says the first excuse that comes to mind. 

“Didn’t you drop that frat, like, last year?” It’s rhetorical. Nursey knows very well he dropped the frat. 

“Yeah, but they make the pledges do it for ex members too. Makes it harder.”

Nursey and Chowder share incredulous looks. 

“Better work on your excuse man,” Nursey just shakes his head, “That shit won’t fly with Ransom and Holster.”

Dex shrugs. 

“I can’t believe you thought he was one of my groupies and it turns out he was one of yours,” Nursey wraps an arm around him, “Look at you Dex, growing up and getting groupies of your own.”

He’s helping Bitty prepare pie crust the next day when his teammate asks him, “So when, exactly, where you going to tell me that you’re mermaid royalty.”

Dex groans. “I’m twelfth in line for the throne. It’s not that big a deal.”

Bitty casts a spell and fresh ruby red apples appear out of nowhere. He turns to Dex with a hand on his hip and an unimpressed expression. 

“Not a big deal? You hid this from me, William Poindexter! If that’s even your real name.”

Dex turns pink.

“Oh my god, that’s not your real name!” Bitty smacks him with a tea towel, “You have a royal title don’t you! Tell me right now.”

“No.”

“Tell me or I will never bake your favorite pie again!”

“Okay, okay. It’s,” Dex takes a deep breath, “Prince William Pontruvious IV twelfth son of Andrew Pontruvious II Great King of the Heavenly Waters.”

Bitty loses it. He on the ground laughing for at least five minutes. Everytime Dex thinks he’s about to get back up he starts laughing again. 

“Are you done yet?”

“I’m done, I swear,” he helps Bitty up, “Is there anything else you haven’t told me?”

“I’m gay.”

Bitty gasps and then hugs him. There’s flour on his sweatshirt now but he doesn’t really care. 

“Lord! I was kidding!” Bitty exclaims, “You are a man of many mysteries, Prince William Pontruvious IV.”

Dex groans. 

“So,” Bitty starts, and Dex recognize that tone, “is there anyone you have your eye on.”

Dex doesn’t say anything.

“You don’t have to tell me. But, I’m here for you.”

“Bitty,” he begins hesitantly, “before you and Jack got together, how did you you know he liked you? Like how did you know it was more than just teammate stuff?”

“Dex,” Bitty says, “do you like someone on the team?”

He nods. 

“Who?”

“I think you can guess.”

“Nursey.” It’s not a question. “Honestly, I didn’t know how Jack felt about me until he kissed me. We almost missed our shot. Honey, the best thing you can do is ask Nursey how he feels.”

Dex nods.

 

 

Dex thinks about Nursey. A lot. More than he’d ever admit out loud. 

Sometimes he’ll lay in bed and think about how nice it would be to have Nursey’s undivided attention on him. And then he can’t stop thinking about what Nursey would do if he saw his tail and the fantasy is ruined. 

He tells the team he’s going home for the weekend, but he’s doesn’t go to Maine. 

Danny is the first brother he sees. His face lights up, “Will!”

“Here to see Dad?”

“Nah, just feeling homesick, I suppose,” Dex shrugs. Danny looks at him with a sharp eye.

“Come with me, I know a place we can talk.”

It’s a shipwreck.

“I remember this place,” he says softly, “You took me here years ago.”

“I took you here before the first winter you spent on land,” Danny nods, “And I told you that even though it would be hard, the sea would always be here for you.”

Dex nods, remembering.

“Will, can I be honest with you?”

“Of course.”

“I fucking hate hockey.”

“Excuse me?” Dex is feeling attacked. 

“You never wanted to go on land before you started playing hockey,” his brother doesn’t look at him, “But then you started playing. And you were gone every winter. And then it wasn’t just winter, but all year. And you tried to explain it to me so many times, and I tried to introduce you to seasports, but you always went back on land.”

Danny finally looks at him. 

“I never got you, Will.”

“I know.”

“Even when you were little, you were always so hard to figure out. It was annoying as hell getting gifts for you.”

Dex chuckled. 

“But I want you to know that I’m trying, okay? I’m here for you, if you need me,” He puts his hand on Dex’s shoulder, “I get it. You’re a homosexual.”

Dex chokes. 

“What? Danny! Who told you that?”

“Homosexual? Homo means mean human, right? You’re a human lover. You like the human world?” Danny looked bewildered. 

“That’s not what it means!”

“Oh. So you’re not a homosexual?”

“No! Well, actually, yes. I am. But that’s not what you were trying to call me!”

Danny chuckles, “You have non-merpeople friends? Humans who are there for you when we can’t be?”

“Yes. We’re like a family.”

“You know,” Danny winks at him, “It’s technically illegal, but since I’m going to be king soon I think I can give you a royal pardon if you want to tell your land family what you are.”

If Will weren’t underwater he’d be crying right now.

 

He thinks about the conversation with Danny as he, Nursey, and Chowder are walking back from the library. They’re having an animated conversation about the fine line between a regular rom-com and a hallmark rom-com, and Dex is struck with how much he loves his friends.

“Guys,” He says loudly. The stop and look to him. Dex takes in a deep breath, “I’m gay.”

“That’s chill,” Nursey says as he simultaneously drops his coffee. It spills everywhere. Ignoring this, Chowder immediately goes in for a hug. 

“Thank you for telling us! I kind of already know, but I wanted you to come out on your own terms!” Chowder smiles at him, “Are you going to come out to the team?” 

“I think I’ll tell them at brunch this weekend.”

“So,” Nursey says after throwing his coffee in the trash, “Any guys you like?”

“Not really,” Dex lies.

“There’s no one at Samwell you have your eye on?”

“Like I said, not really.” Dex’s ears are turning red.

“But you’re ready to date? Like if someone asked you out in an elaborate and very romantic way, you would say yes?” Nursey won’t take his eyes off of him. 

“Yeah? I mean, maybe not if it’s over the top?”

“What do you mean by over the top?” Nursey asks, “Just a random hypothetical, but if someone were to ask you out with a few bouquets of flowers and serenade you with a poem, would you consider that to be over the top?”

“One hundred percent yes.”

“What! That’s romantic!”

“If someone wants to ask me out they don’t have to do that shit. It’s a date, not a marriage proposal,” Dex considered, “Actually scratch that, marriage proposals are also incredibly over the top.”

“It’s called romance, Poindexter!”

“Are you trying to pick a fight with me over romance?” 

“Maybe!” Nursey throws his hands up, “Okay so if the man of your dreams came up to you and was like “go on a date with me” you would go on a date with him?”

“Yes. You just said he’s the man of my dreams.” Dex concentrates really really hard on not picturing Nursey. 

“Okay what if it wasn’t the man of your dreams. What if it was just some guy?”

“Do I know this guy?”

“Yes.”

“How well do I know him?”

“He’s like, your friend. And he’s attractive and very into you. And he doesn’t know if you feel the same way. And he just learned you’re into dudes.”

“This hypothetical is getting very specific, Nursey,” Chowder comments. Nursey lightly elbows Chowder in the ribs. Dex had forgotten Chowder was still here.

“Well if I know him, and I think he’s chill,” Dex catches himself, “or, I mean, a cool person. If he’s a person I get along with and he says to me ‘hey, do you want to grab some coffee?’ then I’d accept.”

“That’s all it’d take?!” 

Dex has never seen Nursey more un-chill in his entire life. 

 

A few days later Nursey stops by the Haus while Dex is studying. Dex puts his book down. 

“Yo Dex,” the words are casual, but Nursey is fidgeting.

“What’s up?”

“Hey, do you want to grab some coffee?”

Dex thinks about it. He could use a coffee break.

“Sure,” he replies. Nursey is smiling but he still looks a little nervous. “Let me grab my wallet.”

“You don’t have to do that. Obviously I’m paying.” 

Now Dex is confused. It it obvious because Dex is poor? He doesn’t bring it up a second time. As they pass by Chowder on the green couch Dex calls out to him, “Hey C want to get coffee with Nursey and me?”

Nursey stops walking. Chowder looks at them with wide eyes. He sees Chowder glance at Nursey. 

“Uh, no thanks.”

“We can get you something if you like?”

“No, really. I don’t like coffee.”

“C, you love coffee. Yesterday you said your ideal date with Farmer was getting matching coffees with foam shark drawings and then going to the aquarium.”

“Yes. That’s true. But maybe I don’t?” Chowder looks so helpless. He and Nursey stare at each other and some silent communication seems to be going on, “Maybe I’ll start drinking tea from now on.”

“Annie’s has tea?” Dex suggests. He can see Nursey shaking his head in his peripheral vision.

“Go without me. I’m good,” Chowder insists.

“Okay,” Dex is still confused, but he won’t press it further.

He and Nursey grab coffee. Nursey pays for him. It’s uneventful. As they make their way back to the Haus, Dex can’t help but feel like he missed something. 

 

“Any plans for spring break?” Nursey asks him during team breakfast. Dex thinks about it.

“Not really. It’s not lobster season yet, so I’ll probably pick up shifts at the shop - the repair one I told you guys about.” Nursey nods.

“Might be awkward if Miller’s there, but whatever.”

“Who’s Miller?” Lardo asks as she passes himn the syrup. 

“My ex-boyfriend.” He says as he takes a bite of his pancake. Dex finishes chewing and looks around him. The table is a lot quieter. 

“Dex? Did you just come out to us?” Ransom asks.

“Oh. I guess I did.”

All of a sudden there’s a lot of talking. Bitty is the closest to him, and he gives Dex a warm hug. “I’m proud of you,” he whispers under all the chaos.

Lardo gives him a high five. 

“Take that soccer team! Look who’s gayer now!” Someone shouts. Dex thinks it was Wicks. 

Chowder gets up from his seat across the table just to hug him, “We love you!!” 

“Ransom, you know what this means,” Holster says.

“I do know what this means.” He and Holster grin widely at each other before exclaiming at the exact same time, “It’s time to set Dex up with a dude!”

“Dex, we know so many great dudes.”

“So many.”

“As a student athlete, you’re a hot commodity.”

“Trust us, dudes will be lining out the door to get a date with you.”

“Tells us all about Miller so we can get more data on what your type is.” Ransom pulls out a spreadsheet from seemingly thin air, “Holster! I just had a brilliant idea!”

“Was it the same brilliant idea I just had?”

“We’re throwing Dex a coming out kegster!” They shout in unison. 

Dex sneaks a glance at Nursey. When Nursey sees Dex looking at him, he smiles.

It’s enough to give Dex hope. 

 

 

The kegster is like any other kegster, except this time Dex is in the spotlight and he can’t escape. There also seem to be a disproportionately large percent of men at this party. 

“Ransom!” He shouts over the music, “Are all these guys into guys?”

“You betcha! I told you, Holster and I are very well connected!” Ransom smiles, “Now find the man of your dreams!”

“Or a random guy you want to fuck! Either way no judgement!” Holster shouts. 

Dex escapes the throng of single Samwell dudes an hour later. He runs right into Nursey. 

“Oh hey. I was just looking for you,” Nursey smiles at him. Dex flushes even easier when he’s drunk. 

“I think Ransom and Holster did their job too well. It’s really crowded in there,” He shouts above the music. 

“Wanna get out of here?” He asks. That’s all Dex has ever wanted to hear. 

They go to the roof through the window in Chowder’s room. It’s quiet, and Dex likes it that way. With just him and Nursey, he feels like he can breathe again. 

“Find anyone you like?” Nursey turns to him. Dex shakes his head. 

“Not really. But I didn’t expect to find anyone at a kegster.”

“What do you look for in a guy?” Nursey is watching him carefully. 

“Uh, good personality? Funny. Easy to talk to. Romantic. Likes hockey.” Dex is blushing. He can feel it. 

“Hmm,” is all Nursey says at first. Then, “Wanna know what I look for in a guy?”

He doesn’t let Dex respond before he continues, “Smart. Incredibly smart. A pain in the ass sometimes, but only because he cares so much.”

Dex holds his breath.

“As for looks, I gotta say,” he stares at Dex, and even in the dark his eyes are so so beautiful, “I kind of have a thing for big ears and orange hair.”

Dex kisses him. 

Dex has had a lot of firsts in his life. First time diving into the water. First time skating. But kissing Nursey for the first time may be his favorite first. 

The angle is a little awkward, so Nursey rolls over until he’s leaning over Dex. He looks down at him, and he has the widest smile on his face before he kisses him again. 

“Sometimes I wish you weren’t afraid of the water,” Nursey says into between kisses, “Then we could have one of those cinematic underwater kisses.”

“What?” Dex breaks off the kiss. Nursey groans. Dex tries not to let the sound effect him. 

“I think they’re very poetic. And romantic. And I know you hate the water but if you weren’t I’d take you on so many pretty dates you’d think we were in an indie movie.”

Dex needs to think right now but words are very hard. Nursey has thought about going on dates with him. 

Nursey doesn’t know he’s a mermaid. 

Dex always imagined that if they got together, in some far off fantasy future, Nursey would already know. But now Dex has to tell him and Dex is not prepared and suddenly everything feels like is moving fast when it should be slowing down. He shoves Nursey off of him. 

Dex is standing up. He doesn’t remember the decision to stand up, but he’s up now. Nursey looks up at him with most adorable confused face. 

“We should go back inside. I need to lie down.”

“Okay.”

Nursey leads him inside through Chowder’s window once more. Dex kicks off his shoes. 

“C will let us crash here right? He’s at Farmer’s place tonight.” Nursey answers his own question. Dex lays down on Chowder’s bed. He should probably brush his teeth, but he can do that tomorrow morning. 

“Dex?” Nursey questions softly.

“Yeah?”

“Should we talk about what happened on the roof? Two minutes ago.”

Drunk Dex thinks about it. He’s dangerously close to telling Nursey he just kissed a fish. 

“No. I don’t think so.”

“Oh. Chill,” Nursey sounds so hurt. Dex doesn’t want that. 

“When I’m not,” Dex tries to gesture, but it’s hard when his falling asleep, “not drunk. Then we can talk.”

“Okay.”

The last thing he remembers is Nursey putting a blanket over shoulders before falling into a deep and dreamless sleep. 

When he wakes up the next morning, the first thing he sees a very concerned Chowder.

“I know you just woke up and I know you only came out a week ago and I don’t want to lecture you, but I have to say this: don’t hurt Nursey. You and I both know he’s less chill than he lets on.”

“Hi C. What time is it?”

“A little after two o’clock.”

“He told you what happened.” Chowder nods.

“Yes. I really want you guys to work it out. I think you’d be good for each other, and also you two can go on double dates with me and Farmer. Because sometimes when I’m with you guys I feel like I’m third wheeling. And I think double dates could be really fun! But if that doesn’t happen then I still want you to be friends.”

“Okay, Chowder,” Dex finally sits up. His hair is a mess and his breath smells horrible. 

“Does that mean you’re gonna talk to Nursey? Because I know you like him.”

Dex sighs, “It’s more complicated than that, Chowder. There’s things I haven’t told him yet.”

“Is this about you being secret royalty? Nursey will like you even more! He loves rom-coms!”

“Chowder, I promise I’ll talk to him.”

 

When he finally makes his way downstairs, Nursey is nowhere to be found. Dex sighs in relief. The only other person awake is Bitty.

“Morning!” Bitty smiles. A fresh coffee appears on the table where Dex is sitting. 

“Morning,” Dex takes a long sip, “Seen Nursey?”

“He went back to his dorm last night.” Bitty shakes his head. Dex checks his phone for any messages. There’s some from his studygroup in CS and one from Penny asking him when he’s coming home for break. Nothing from Nursey. There’s a long minute of silence. 

“I think Nursey wants to date me,” He confesses to Bitty.

“That’s a good thing. That’s a very good thing. Why are you pouting?”

“Because what can I do? I love him, and he at least wants to kiss me, but I can’t date him.”

“And why not?”

“Because I’m a mermaid! Obviously!” Dex groans. 

“If that’s the only issue, then just tell him.” 

“And say what? Hey, I love you. And by the way, I’m a fish.”

“You’re also a prince!”

“Yeah, a prince who won’t inherit anything.”

“Maybe watch Shape of Water with him and gauge his reaction,” Bitty suggests jokingly, “Or you could watch the Little Mermaid together and ask him if he would ever date a mermaid.”

Dex stops and considers it.

“Lord, it was a joke. Don’t actually do that!” Bitty rolls his eyes, “If you want him to know, show him.”

“You think seeing me with my tail is the way to go?”

“Maybe. Sirens are seductive.”

“Do I look seductive to you?” Dex replies with a deadpan expression.

“Not to me,” Bitty scoffs, “But maybe to Nursey.”

“This is a disaster.” He puts his face on the table.

“Dex,” Bitty says. His tone is different than it was a few seconds ago. Dex looks up. “Do you love Nursey?”

All Dex can do is nod.

“How much do you love him?”

“More than the ocean.”

“Then tell him that. That’s all he wants to hear.” 

Dex brings his hand to his lips, reliving the moment on the roof. He gets an idea. He runs upstairs and finds Ransom brushing his teeth.

“Poindexter! Anyone catch your eye last night?” He says through a mouthful of toothpaste before spitting into the sink. 

“Maybe,” he bites his lip, “You said you and Holster have connections?”

“Dex,” wraps and arm around him, “Holster and I are the most connected people at Samwell. Not an exaggeration. You give me a description of the guy, Holster and I can get you his number in twenty minutes.”

“Nothing like that. Are you still tight with some guys on the Water Polo Team?”

 

He texts Nursey later in the day. 

Can we talk? Meet me outside the student athlete pool tonight. Around 9?

Dex keeps his phone close for the next hour. Each time he gets a notification, he’s met with disappointment. He can’t see if Nursey is typing because he has an android. At last he resolves to get some work done and puts his phone on silent. The next time he checks, two hours worth of homework later, he sees a single text from Nursey.

k 

“That’s it?” He says out loud to himself. One lowercase letter? Dex knows it’s lowercase on purpose, because he knows Nursey is trying to seem chill. He throws his stupid android on his bed. 

 

At 8:50, Dex is freezing his ass off waiting for Nursey. He checks his phone to stare at the single lowercase k for the hundredth time, and that’s when Nursey walks up. 

“Hey,” he greets him. Dex watches as his breath rolls of in waves, “We going in there or something?”

“C’mon,” Dex gestures and Nursey follows. He takes the keys Ransom’s friend lent him and lets himself and Nursey in. 

“How’d you get those?”

“Ransom and Holster. They really do know almost everyone at Samwell.” Dex gets the feeling Nursey is purposely filling the silence with small talk. 

The navigate their way through the building until they reach the pool. It’s not as beautiful as the ocean, but it’s still pretty the way the pool reflects light on the ceiling and the walls. The room is completely dark with the exception of the pool lights, and they’re the only ones in the building. 

Dex takes a seat on a pool chair and Nursey sits on the one opposite him. 

“Why are we here Dex?” Nursey finally looks him in the eyes, “Why are you here? You hate pools.” 

“Because,” Dex starts, “I was sitting here, in this exact spot, when I first realized I liked you.”

He hears Nursey’s breath hitch. 

“You were in the pool with the rest of the team and you looked back at me and smiled. I was completely gone,” he chuckles. 

“That was at the pool party. But that was almost a year ago?”

“Yeah.”

He sneaks a look at Nursey to gauge his reaction. Nursey is smiling wider than Dex has ever seen, and Dex feels the knot in his chest start to untangle.

“Will,” Nursey takes a hold of his hand, “I write poetry about you. All the time. And even though we’re not dating I think of romantic dates to take you on. After the roof I was so scared that I was taking things too fast before they would get started.”

“I know. And I’m sorry I panicked on the roof. But that’s because there’s,” Dex pauses slightly, “there’s something else. If you don’t want to date me after I show you, I’ll understand.”

“Dex, there’s nothing that could make me not want to date you.” Nursey squeezes his hand. Dex is too nervous to say anything. No one outside his family has seen him in his true form. 

He starts undressing until he’s only in his boxers. Nursey doesn’t seem to mind. Dex steps closer to the edge of the pool, and that’s when Nursey stops him.

“Dex, I know you’re scared of the water. You don’t have to do this to prove some point to me. Although I do respect the gesture.”

“I lied to you and Chowder,” he says straight up, “when I told you I was afraid of the water. Because I needed an excuse to not go in the pool.”

“Huh?”  
He looks at Nursey one last time.

“Please don’t freak out.”

And then he dives.

He hits the water with a splash and feels his tail start to form. Chlorinated water filters through his gills. He swims a lap around the pool and lets his body adjust to the sensation. When Dex surfaces, his eyelashes stick together. The first thing he does is look at Nursey. 

Dex is pretty sure Nursey’s jaw is five seconds from falling off his face. 

“On a scale of one to ten how much are you freaking out?” The question snaps Nursey into focus. 

“Honestly, probably like an nine. I have so many questions. But the first one,” Nursey begins kicking off his shoes and peeling off his shirt, “is how could you have thought this would be a dealbreaker?”

Nursey jumps in. It’s far less graceful than Dex’s dive and he splashes Dex in the face. Dex doesn’t care. 

As soon as Nursey surfaces Dex presses their lips together. Nursey leans into the kiss and wraps both arms around Dex’s neck. 

Dex stops to ask him, “Are you sure?”

Nursey groans, “For the last time Dex, I’ve basically been in love with you since a month into freshman year. And it was so frustrating, because you are the most oblivious fucker I’ve ever met.” 

“How?”

Nursey rolls his eyes, “I tried asking you out on a date and you tried to invite Chowder because you didn’t know it was a date.”

“What? When was this?”

“Like a week ago! You said you would go on a date with someone if they said ‘hey, do you want to grab some coffee’ and I said those exact words verbatim to you.”

Dex blinks, “But we grab coffee all the time? How was I supposed to understand there was subtext?”

“This is why romantic gestures are necessary.”

“Guess you’re stuck dating a dumbass.” Nursey smiles at that. 

“There is nothing you could say to make me not want to date you. If anything, this is a plus.n My boyfriend is a freaking mermaid.”

Dex laughs, and Nursey takes the opportunity to kiss at the crook of his exposed neck. 

“Is there anything else you’re hiding?”

“Well…” he trails off. Nursey stops trailing kisses up his neck to meet his gaze. 

“Lay it on me. I’m pretty sure I can handle it.”

“In the mermaid world, my father is king of the ocean. Which kind of makes me a prince. It’s not a big deal.”

Nursey’s grin is impossibly wide.

“A prince!”

“It’s not a big deal. I’m only twelfth in line.”

“A prince!” Nursey shouts, “Hey Samwell, I’m dating a mermaid prince and there’s nothing you can do about it!”

Dex shuts him up with his mouth. 

“I had a second reason for coming here,” he confesses. Nursey looks confused, and Dex grins.

“Are you going to elaborate?”

“Remember what you said on the roof?”

“Which part?”

“The part about romantic pool dates and cinematic underwater kisses,” he smirks, “This is a pool. And I can breath underwater.”

Nursey looks at him like Dex is his whole world. Dex wants to save this memory forever and keep it close to his heart. 

“On three?”

“On three.”

“One.” 

“Two.”

“Three.”

They submerge themselves at the same time. Time slows down and ceases to exist beyond this pool. When their lips touch, Dex has never felt more at home.

**Author's Note:**

> You can pry the headcannon that Dex is a filthy android user from my cold dead body. The whole "first born inherits everything and the others are left to rot" thing was inspired by my family's antiquated farmland tradition that lasted well into the 1980s.


End file.
